Inside grade eight : from apathy to excitement /

includes references.

Volunteer observers shadowed 162 randomly selected 8th graders in 161 schools on March 8, 1989. Following simple directions, the volunteers recorded the events and activities of the students. Each observer completed an interview with the shadowed student, a structured interview with an administrator, a school information sheet, and a statement of his or her reactions. After an introductory chapter, chapter 2 provides a portrait of 8th graders. This description of the nature and needs of 8th graders offers a yardstick against which the appropriateness of the educational experiences being provided for emerging adolescents can be measured. Chapter 3 presents basic data on the schools involved in the study. Comparisons with other recent status studies are made. Chapter 4 delineates the kinds of experiences and activities in which 8th graders participate during a school day, revealing both the extremes and the general condition. Chapter 5 presents six representative shadow studies that enable readers to draw their own conclusions. Chapter 6 presents major findings of the study and recommendations for improving 8th grade education. Appendices provide related materials, including directions for observers. (Rh).